Reactions to Tweed and the Role of Federal Government over New York after Him
- Thomas Nast’s cartoon, “Who Stole the People’s Money?” was published on August 19, 1871 (Harper’s Weekly).
- A council of political reform that consisted of seventy leaders, including the state chairman of the Democratic party, was organized and uncovered more evidence about Tweed’s activities (Lankevich 106).
- Tweed’s associates either resigned or fled the country (Ackerman 255).
- The American Medical Association’s Code of Ethical Practice was established (Mandelbaum 151).
- In the late nineteenth century, federal government issued a series of Acts. (Calhoun 208)
- The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 declared that government jobs should be awarded based upon merit. (Calhoun 208).
- Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 and the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 regulated large businesses. (Calhoun 208).
- In 1892, the government opened Ellis Island as a center to attend to immigrants upon their arrival in New York (Cashman 84).
- Congress issued fiscal and monetary policies in the early twentieth century (Calhoun 207).
- Evaluation of Sources
“ Who Stole the People’s Money?” by Thomas Nast, is a political cartoon published in the New York City based newspaper, Harper’s Weekly on August 19, 1871 which depicts Boss Tweed and the various members of Tweed’s Ring. This cartoon was published with the intent of satirically portraying the extent to which Tammany Hall’s influence over New York City had increased through interconnected businessmen and politicians. This illustration is valuable because it provides insight into an initial reaction to the public exposure of Tweeds corruption in 1871. Also, since this cartoon was published in common newspaper, it may have influenced the opinions of many who lacked knowledge of what was truly occurring in municipal politics. It is limited, however, because it was published shortly after Tweed’s arrest rather than after his trials in 1873. This illustration was created before a verdict was accepted by the judicial system, and therefore, was based upon information that may or may not have been accurate.
Boss Tweed is Kenneth Ackerman’s historical account about the political activity of Tweed. This book was written with the purpose of recording Tweed’s actions and presenting them as the basis of modern New York City and was published in 2005. This source is valuable because documents from municipal and federal archives such as New York Election Frauds, Report 31 by the House of Representatives, the New York County Board of Supervisor’s files, and several others were assessed in order to portray an accurate description of the events. Though it is limited due to its references to the emotions of Tweed, yet the resources used by Ackerman are solely about the political, social, and fiscal aspects of Tweed’s corruption. The direct quotes used also imply actions, therefore it is difficult to assess whether or not Ackerman’s descriptions of Tweed’s emotions are accurate or not.
- Analysis
William M. Tweed’s role in politics had a significant effect upon the extent to which federal government regulated municipal government toward the end of the Gilded Age. Prior to the event of Tweed’s exposure and arrest, the federal government was focused upon passing legislature pertaining to the end of the Civil War (Lankevich 92). Therefore, the federal government was preoccupied with regulating the United States on a national level in order to maintain its unity. The federal government was also split amongst itself because the House of Representatives was predominately Democratic and Congress was mainly Republican (Calhoun 188). Thus, legislature favorable to one party could be easily counteracted by the other, resulting in a political standstill. Therefore, these conflicts allowed other matters such as municipal affairs to remain unnoticed and neglected.
Simultaneously, New York City was receiving an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe (Calhoun 63). These immigrants often had difficulty becoming established and thus developed a need to be provided with civil services (Lankevich 91). The Democratic party supported Catholicism and non-evangelical Protestantism (Calhoun 217). These new immigrants often belonged to these religious groups, and thus, when they lacked support from the national government as a whole, they logically turned to local democrats to provide their needs. In 1834, New York City received the right to select its own mayor, which placed more unregulated power into the hands of smaller governments (Lankevich 91). This enabled the Democratic party to gain a dominate role in New York City politics, and hence established a perfect opportunity for Tweed’s corruption.
After being removed from a position in New York City’s Council because of patronage, (Lankevich 93) Tweed became a congressman in 1853 (Allen 85). He likely returned to local politics at Tammany Hall because of the federal government’s inability to quickly pass legislature. At a local level, obtaining power was more plausible because politics remained unchecked and there was a mass of immigrants that could easily be manipulated. Tweed desired power and recognized the opportunity in having control over the political party that could, in turn, control the people. Therefore, Tweed began to influence those who became elected into Democratic offices, Tammany Hall’s power would increase, and as the boss of Tammany Hall, his power would increase as well. Tweed technically was not elected into a municipal office, yet from 1859 to 1865, effectively ensured that democrats he could control were elected into these offices by splitting the republican votes and other manipulative procedures (Allen 88).
This corruption remained unchallenged because Tweed and his ring of Democrats funded a new fire department, the Brooklyn Bridge, and many other projects that appeased the citizens (Lankevich 104). Because of his alliance with the Democratic Central Committee of New York County (Lankevich 101) and his popular support, Tweed secured his dominant role over party nominations (Mandelbaum 69). Despite the beneficial appearance in Tammany Hall’s investments in the city, municipal debt increased because Tweed split every fund with two of his partners, each receiving a quarter of the cost (Allen 106). In 1870 Albany approved legislature that enabled of the New York City mayor, currently a member of Tweed’s ring to select the heads of departments as well (Lankevich 105). At this point, Tweed directly influenced all of the municipal government and its funds, often manufacturing votes in his favor (Beatty 216).
Not long afterward, several of Tweed’s bills were exposed to the people (Lankevich 106). The federal government was alarmed by what all that had occurred somewhat undetected. Initially after Tweed’s arrest, “Who Stole the People’s Money”, a political cartoon by Harper Weekly’s Thomas Nast portrayed the common anger towards the numerous businessmen and politicians who were guilty of fraud (Harper’s Weekly). In addition to this public outrage, a council of political reform that consisted of seventy leaders was organized and uncovered more evidence about Tweed’s activities (Lankevich 106). This political scandal had brought a new wave of attention toward municipal politics. Over a series of acts issued throughout the next decade, the government slowly began to regulate city life. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 declared that government jobs should be awarded based upon merit, thus hindering the patronage system and complete political dominance (Calhoun 208). In addition to this, in 1892, the government opened Ellis Island as a center to attend to immigrants upon their arrival in New York (Cashman 84). The federal government had been made aware of the corruption in municipal government and acted upon it.
- Conclusion
Prior to the actions of Boss Tweed, the federal government did not recognize the importance of thoroughly regulating municipal governments, especially that of New York City. Initially after the Civil War and Industrialization, its main focus was on keeping the nation together and thus local governments were allowed to regulate themselves. The public exposure of actions of Tweed, however, brought significant attention to how municipal governments were functioning, or rather, malfunctioning. The federal government could not have possibly regulated city politics if it was unaware that city politics truly needed to be regulated. Thus, in New York, Tweed and his ring acted as a catalyst that led to reform and several acts that improved the lives of citizens. It can be argued that without Tweed, patronage in New York would not have escalated as rapidly as it did, but it is evident that he had a crucial role in the way the federal government currently regulates municipal governments and politicians.
F. Works Cited
Ackerman, Kenneth D. Boss Tweed: the Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the
Soul of Modern New York. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2005. Print.
Allen, Oliver E. The Tiger: the Rise and Fall of Tammany Hall. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley,
1993. Print.
Beatty, Jack. Age of Betrayal: the Triumph of Money in America, 1865-1900. New York: Alfred
- Knopf, 2007. Print.
Calhoun, Charles W. The Gilded Age: Essays of the Origins of Modern America. Wilmington:
SR, 1996. Print.
"Cartoonist Thomas Nast vs. Candidate Horace Greeley Content Page." Cartoonist Thomas Nast
vs. Candidate Horace Greeley Home Page. Harper Weekly. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://nastandgreeley.harpweek.com/SubPages/cartoons-1872-listATweedRing.asp>.
Cashman, Sean Dennis. America in the Gilded Age: from the Death of Lincoln to the Rise of
Theodore Roosevelt. New York: New York UP, 1993. Print.
Lankevich, George J. American Metropolis: a History of New York City. New York: New York
UP, 1998. Print.
Mandelbaum, Seymour J. Boss Tweed's New York. Chicago: I.R. Dee, 1990. Print.